43
by AngrySnowman
Summary: War is hell... Not many know this better than bus driver Steve Knox, a retired UNSCMC Staff Sergeant. Honorably discharged due to a near-fatal leg injury, Knox has been living the civilian life for nearly 39 years. But when the Earth is at risk, even the most scarred veterans can't ignore the call of duty.


**Deployment + 02 hours:25 minutes:33 seconds**

**(Lieutenant Colonel Ponder's Mission Clock) 2513/**

**Eridanus II, Elysium City **

* * *

"Small arms fire! Our supply blockades must be hitting them hard!"

Staff Sergeant Knox looked annoyed at the private's comment. "Those M6's still pack a punch, Marine! Stay in cover!"

"Yes, Staff Sergeant!" Private Greenly was just a kid. No older than 18 and he was already in the shit. And this _was_ the shit. Knox, Greenly, and the rest of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Force were hunkered down behind the burned out car wreckage that lined the streets. It was the only cover adjacent to the apartment building they were suppressing. The only problem was that the insurrectionists in the building were raining down most of the suppression.

Despite the fact that Knox himself had joined straight out of high school, he couldn't help but shake his head every time he looked at Greenly. _Greenly, heh, sure got his name right_ he'd always say to himself. Still, fresh blood was all he had to work with.

"This cover's deteriorating damn quick. Ponder better hurry up and snatch that asset. I'm getting tired of covering his ass!"

"I'm with you Staff Sergeant! The Innies own this building!" The cacophony of gunfire surged to a deafening level. "What happened to our sniper team on the roof!? Why can't they-" Greenly was cut short by the transmission in his earpiece.

"_Knox... Ponder to Knox..._"Knox put his fingers to his helmet and responded.

"This is Knox! Go ahead Lieutenant Colonel!"

"_... going in... we need... ...you hear me soldier... ...-pressive fire!_" Ponder was breaking up, but it didn't matter. Knox heard enough.

"OK MARINES! SUPPRESSIVE FIRE! I WANT EVERY BULLET HOSE PAINTING THOSE WINDOWS!"

Knox, along with the rest of the 9th Marines opened up with every single rifle they had. Knox was squeezing the trigger faster than his BR-55 could spit out its 3-round-bursts. Ponder and his squad slid across the front of the building and into the entrance. The 9th's momentum began to falter as the insurrectionists resumed their rain of small arms fire. However, the Lieutenant Colonel was clearly making progress. The gunfire on each floor ceased after Ponder and his squad cleared it. The firing slowed and eventually stopped save the muffled shots heard from the building's interior.

"Show's over Marines!" Knox shouted. "Greenly, Barnes, Flores, you're all with me. We're going up to back up the Lieutenant Colonel."

Private Greenly looked concerned. "Sir, shouldn't we wait for an all-clear from the Lieutenant Colonel?"

"First of all, don't call me sir, I work for a living. Second, the Lieutenant Colonel can't give an all-clear if he's KIA, clear?" Knox stood up straight in that cocky drill sergeant posture. "Now let's go make sure that doesn't happen." The men stood up hesitantly. They began to walk toward the entrance when Knox swiveled around on Greenly. "Oh and Private, if you _ever_ question my orders again, I'll kick your ass outta my corps so hard, it'll send you into slipspace! You hear me?"

"Yes Staff Sergeant." Greenly looked down as Knox turned to walk into the entrance. Just as Knox reached the doorway, someone behind them screamed, "JACKHAMMER!" Knox felt a powerful shove push him through the threshold. He spun around just in time to see Greenly and his outstretched arms engulfed by flames. Pain shot through Knox's legs. He looked down to see them embedded with shrapnel from the explosion. He was fading in and out of consciousness as he pulled himself into the building. Fire blazed outside as the ringing in his ears began to fade. He finally heard the screaming in his headset. The black shadows of the hall began to creep around him.

"STAFF SERGEANT! SIR! WHAT'S YOUR STATUS, OVER?! SIR! SIR!"

The shadows engulfed him. His senses faded.

"SIR! SIR!"

* * *

**0715 Hours, October 20th 2552 (Military Calendar)/**

**Kikowani Station, New Mombasa Kenya**

"Sir... Sir..."

Knox regained focus and looked down at the man trying to board his bus.

"Sir, does this bus go to the Uplift Reserve?"

Knox groaned. "You want the 51L. It should be right behind me. Make sure you don't miss it though, the 'L' stands for limited."

"Oh, thanks." The man wandered over to his waiting family and began pointing down the street.

Knox closed the doors and pulled the bus up to the light. He pressed firmly on the brakes. He winced at the pressure and rubbed his right leg. The pain always seemed worse on the night shift.

"You okay, Steve?" Josiah, a regular on his bus, looked concerned.

"Fine..." He released his leg and forced a smile. "Just all these damned tourists, y'know?"

"Tell me about it. But, whadya expect in the Interstellar City?"

"I guess so." Knox replied as he let off the brakes to continue on his route. The pain in his leg faded, but he knew it would persist.

Normally he would take something for the pain, but his shift was nearly over. He smiled as he amused himself with thoughts of relaxing at home. _45 more minutes._ He thought to himself.


End file.
